Over the course of the month, we are proudly sharing some of the inspirational Black leaders in our community.
Hermia Corbette:
Roger Ramkissoon, Director of the Board at the Community Development Council, Durham shared with us this wonderful note about our good friend Hermia Corbette:
Hermia is the Executive Director of Community Development Council Durham.
For the past 8 years, she has been a driving force at the Ajax Welcome Centre helping to integrate newcomers in the Region of Durham. During this time, she was instrumental in helping to shape the Welcome Centre's programs, and also ensuring that there was an accountability and efficiency model in place. During the last year, Hermia became one of the few Executive Director's in the Region of Durham from a racialized background - being female and being black. Hermia was able to not only lead the agency through challenging times, but also solidify the place of black female leaders in the workplace. She has laid the groundwork for aspiring newcomers and other women of colour, to hold positions of leadership in a world where most executives are from the dominant population. Hermia's humility, hard work and commitment has not only helped to shape the immigrant community but has sent a strong message to those who feel underprivileged, that they can do it. Hermia is a living breathing example that Black Women have lots to offer the Canadian Community. Well done Hermia - Congratulations!
Christene Lewis: Is an international author, motivational speaker and youth advocate
“The highest currency you can give someone is inspiration.”
We are grateful to have had Christene attend our staff training for diversity and inclusion and share her experiences with us. Now we want to take this time to share with you her wonderful work she continues to do to inspire youth and the launch of her memoir and self-help book “Hidden Truths, Broken Silence:”
I currently work for Toronto District School Board as a Child and Youth Care Practitioner and recently became an international author with my book entitled, Hidden Truths, Broken Silence. My belief and notion is that one's impact has to be greater than their intention. My book is a memoir and a self-help book that took over ten years to write. I take the readers on the journey with me.
Within the marginalized communities, abuse is often slipped under the rug. This book breaks that silence to give youth a voice to know that there’s a way out. . I take the readers on the journey with me and I knew that the time to release it was now as there’s a lack of Black voices being heard.
The book is a reflection of my programs which are geared towards Black and Indigenous Youth, along with any young person that is identified as at risk and marginalized. My programs focus on impact versus an intention and I offer one to one, and group social emotional support.
The notion and establishment of Impact Over Intention Youth and Family Services is accountability. Teaching youth to take accountability for their triggers, identity, emotions, intelligence and uniqueness not only allows them to grow, but allows them to break negative generational bonds and create a legacy that represents them in their positivity and change. Changing the narrative is imperative. These youth are not identified by their trauma, they are them before anything else!
The programs I’ve been lucky enough to offer focus on areas that inspire youth from music to sport. Some of these programs include Lyrics to my life, I AM, RealTalk, Connections youth (sports program) which are all under the umbrella of my latest endeavour, Impact Over Intentions Youth and Family Services.
My programs will help you rise from the blinded eye – a lot of things blind us like our environment, our workplace, our cultural norms, our religion, our beliefs, our values and when we allow those things to take over we realize that we aren’t really us, we’re something that we’re programmed to be. Are we really free? What’s freedom? In my programs, I want youth to experience what real freedom is.
If you want to reach out to Christene, follow her on Instagram @impactoverintention
Abilities Centre staff, Yasmyn Belle, Program Instructor, Thrive & Pathways
Abilities Centre is proud to support the diversity within our organization. Yasmyn, Program Instructor for the Thrive Adult Day Program, is a great employee, who has been with the Centre since September 2020. She plays an active role within our community with many experiences within the DDSB and the DDCSB and later this month she will be speaking on a Black Excellence Panel at J Clarke Richardson Collegiate.
Some of the organization’s Yasmyn wants to share with us are:
- WMRCC (dedicated to providing specialized counselling and support to women of all ages and their families, from diverse backgrounds, to eradicate violence, to re-build their lives, and to enable them to become contributing and valued members of society)
- DBEN (Optimizing educational experiences for students, parents, community and staff of the Black Diaspora within the Durham District School Board )
- SWIS (SWIS Durham is committed to providing quality initial settlement services to newcomer families with school-aged children in the region of Durham; offering service that is; confidential, culturally appropriate, non-judgmental and sensitive to the needs of the client, in an inclusive, accessible manner that empowers and fosters client independence)
- Cypher, a yearly event recognizing Black Male Empowerment in the Durham Region.
Thank you Yasmyn! If you wish to learn more about the above organizations, please email marketing@abilitiescentre.org
Suzette Lewis, Executive Director, Murray McKinnon Foundation
“I’ve had the privilege to work with Suzette as co-chairs of the Diversity Equity & Inclusion Community of Practice - Durham Region (DEI CoP), since she joined me in that role in September 2018. As the DEI CoP members actively promoted and supported its growing membership in the removal of systemic barriers to the incorporation of diversity, equity and inclusion principles and practices within its member organizations, Suzette has shown courage, strength and wisdom to help lead these efforts, particularly at a time when, to quote the DEI CoP’s 2020 Commitment Statement to Combat Oppression, Racism, Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination: “We continue to bear witness to the ongoing injustice that has led to the deep sorrow and lament of the Black communities at the local, provincial, national and international levels.” Suzette is a champion of racial justice and equity in her many roles in life. So, I’m honoured to work with Suzette and stand alongside her as a valued colleague, friend and co-conspirator to impact change now and in the future.”
- Nicola Crow, Executive Director, Durham Family Court Clinic, Co-chair Diversity Equity & Inclusion Community of Practice – Durham Region
“I am honoured to have known Suzette Lewis for many years in her role as a Senior Leader and Durham Region services provider. I have found Suzette to be a tireless advocate for practices that honour diversity, promote equity and challenge exclusion. Suzette takes on “tough” conversations as demonstrated by her ability to challenge others to examine their racial bias. She does so with intention and with hope for creating change in our communities and world.”
- Marlene Niskala, Director of Residential Programs, Murray McKinnon Foundation
“I have had the honor of working with Suzette Lewis for the past three years in her role as Executive Director of the Murray McKinnon Foundation. Nicola Crow described Suzette as having shown courage, strength and wisdom in her efforts as a Co-chair of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Community of Practice- Durham Region. I have found Suzette to have displayed those very same qualities in her leadership role as the Executive Director of the Murray McKinnon Foundation.”
Kevin Pumphrey, Chair, Board of Directors, Murray McKinnon Foundation
Carion Fenn is a TV show host at Rogers TV Durham hosting
Health 180 with Carion Fenn.
She is the Founding President & CEO of the Carion Fenn Foundation established to promote health by providing support services and resources for rare and chronic disease.
Carion is a Board of Trustee, Chair of the Board Quality Committee and Committee Board Chair of The Ajax Pickering Hospital Community Panel for Lakeridge Health. As an award-winning healthcare advocate, she is proud to represent the voice of the community on the board.
Carion is the first black woman and first person with a disability to run for Mayor of the Town of Ajax and a past Vice Chair and Accessibility Advisor to Council on the Accessibility Advisory Committee for the Town of Ajax.
She was selected as top 100 black women to watch in 2020. Furthermore, she was selected by Women of Influence for the award.
It’s been years of championing change for people with disabilities and advocating. As a black woman living with a disability, she is breaking down barriers teaching us all that we are different in our own ways and we will determine our own path.
She faced many adversities during her mayoral run and still persevered. She continues to fight for inclusion and ensure people can do what they can at their own ability.
After facing a public incident in front of her children due to her disability, she was fueled to start her TV show to educate the public on invisible and visible disabilities, accessibility.
She continues to advocate for access to services and has been working behind the scenes to make change and educate to break the barriers within our system. She wants to make things easier for others who may not be able to communicate their needs.
Carion feels the responsibility of representing her community and lends her voice to difference causes. Having recognition of the black community leaders sets an example for our younger generation that they can achieve anything - they can sit at a board table, they can be a doctor, they can have their own TV show.
“What we do impacts our younger generation and they need to know the sky is the limit. It is on us to motivate, mentor and lend a hand to the next generation of leaders,” explains Carion.
Black History Month is a great way of not just recognizing our ancestors and current leaders but also to educate others in our community and to inspire to be their best self.
If you want to contribute to Black History Month: Ask yourself today to contribute:
What can I do to be apart of black history? What can I do to be in black history?
Thank you!